Richard J Kinch > wrote in message > ...
> Mike Blanchard writes:
>
> > I'm having a problem with the carbonator. Once I pressurize the
> > system with CO2 up to 80psi as the manual suggests, the carbonator
> > pump won't pump the water into the C/W tank.
>
> Unclear. The pump motor doesn't run? It runs but doesn't pump? It
> works properly when the CO2 is off?

The pump motor works fine. That is to say it spins with power
applied. The pump doesn't appear to pump the water into the tank
under pressure.

>
> > I've also noticed that i I don't pressurize the system, the tank
> > will fill up with water (the psi of the source is approx 60psi), it
> > will come out of the C/W outlet without the soda gun hooked up, but
> > the pressure doesn't increase when the moto/pump is running, is that
> > the way it's supposed to work?
>
> That sounds like your pump has failed. This is new or used?

This is a used carbonator. I have a feeling that I'll have to rebuild
the pump :-(

>
> > Now it's obvious to me that a 60PSI water source isn't going to be
> > able to enter a tank that's pressurized to 80psi, but I would think
> > that the motor/pump would kick in and increase the pressure of the
> > water going into the tank so the CO2 can go into solution.
>
> The water pump is a booster type, increasing the tap pressure to well
> above the 100 psi or so which is in the tank due to the CO2 connection.
> Yes, this is needed to get the water to enter the tank at all, but more
> importantly, to flow fast enough that the tank fills quickly during the
> running time of the pumping duty cycle.
>
> > Another quick question, should the carbonator pump be able to suck
> > water up from a bucket? I'm told that it won't, but that just seems
> > odd to me, isn't that what a pump is supposed to do?
>
> Who sez it won't? While some pump designs require a positive input
> pressure, and cannot self-prime from a negative-pressure source, I would
> expect the carbonator pump, being a piston type, could apply suction.
> The problem, however, is that you will pump some air into the tank,
> which is going to lower the CO2 pressure, unless you take care to
> somehow purge and always keep purged the air from the lines, not easy.
>
> You do purge the tank of air, right, when first filling the system?

They guy I bought the carbonator from said it won't pump from a
bucket. I did purge the line of air before trying, and nuthin'.

Everything's pointing to the pump itself. I'm going to pull the
pump off and see what I can do with it. Doubt if I can get any parts
at this time, unless Home Depot or Lowes has something that will work,
ya neer know.

To purge the tank of air, after I pressurized with CO2, I opened the
"soda" valve on the soda gun for a bit. I'll try to pull the
emergency pressure relif valve this time and see if the water gets
better carbonated.
First to pull that darned pump.

anyone have a procon pump for sale cheap? cheap is the key word
here, I've already spent way too much on this system :-(

thanks for the help!
Mike B